Sauk County using ‘3-pronged approach’ to safely reopen businesses

May 19, 2020 4:49 PM

Brandon Arbuckle,

Posted: May 19, 2020 4:49 PM

Updated: May 19, 2020 4:50 PM

by Brandon Arbuckle

Open Sign — Courtesy of Daniel Ray/Flickr

BARABOO, Wis. — Sauk County Public Health officials announced plans to use a “three-pronged approach” in order to safely reopen area businesses without a surge in new COVID-19 cases and deaths.

The news release said health officials will focus on individual responsibility, business and organization accountability and public health mitigation.

“And like a three-legged stool, if one leg is weak, there is risk of the entire stool failing to protect the person sitting on it,” Sauk County Director and Health Officer Timothy Lawther said in a statement.

Health officials have asked residents to keep following social distancing guidelines, such as avoiding groups of 10 or more people, wearing a mask in public and maintaining six feet of physical distance from others.

The release said all area businesses should be able to implement guidelines from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and Sauk County Public Health before opening their doors to staff and customers. This includes forming flexible sick leave policies that encourages workers to stay home when sick, setting aggressive infection control policies and having each business communicate their plans to staff and customers.

The third part of the approach focuses on public health mitigation. The release said new COVID-19 cases in Sauk County will be investigated and have a quick response. If an individual business or broader area has a noticeable rise in cases, SCPH said it will take additional disease control measures.

“Successfully reopening our communities requires individuals, businesses and the public health system to take action to protect us all from unnecessary health risks. It will take each of us doing the right thing to keep the three-legged stool standing,” said Lawther.